Delivery mechanism.



F. M. SPURR.

, DELIVERY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14, 1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

I} SHEETS-SHEET 1..

L1 5, FL 5 l g? :55 5 am FwterMJpwrr swa THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOT0-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, 0, 5

F. M. SPURR.

DELIVERY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14', 1914.

LWMUWQ Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET z.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO" WIIJHINGTON U u.

F. M. SPURR.

DELIVERY MECHANISM. APPLICATION nuzn APR.1 4. 1914.

L1 35mm. Patented Apr, 13, 1915,

'4 BHEETS-SHEET 4.

THE NORRIS PETERS CQ. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTDN, D. C.

Pitlilhl lh f@,

FOSTER M. SPURR, OF BOSTON, IVIASSACHUSETTS.

DELIVERY MECHANISM.

iaeaoee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915,

Application filed April 14, 1914. Serial No. 831,774.

conveying and delivering mechanism adapted for use in connection with feeding and separating mechanisms for delivering articles, such as envelops or the like, one at a time from the bottom of a pile of such envelops, and more particularly with that type of machine for delivering the articles to address printing machines, although its operation is not to be restricted in this latter connection.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism which will engage the undermost article of a pile, after the stamp has been partly disengaged therefrom and convey it to the ultimate point of delivery, the article being continuously fed in a forward direction during such conveying and to be discharged in proper position to the cooperating mechanism.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention to a better advantage, the same is shown as applied to the feeding and separating mechanism of my copending application, Serial No. 811,367, filed January 10, 1914, but it is to be understood that such specific application to the invention does not limit the scope of same, and that it is readily adapted for use with any other type of machine or mechanism for the same purpose.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,Figure 1 is a top plan view of the feeding and separating mechanism with the improvement applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism in its inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sec tion on the line ;ca' of Fig. 1 with the mechanism in position for the separation of the undermost article from the bottom of the pile retained in the hopper thereof. Fig. 4c is a vertical fragmentary section on the line a:-rc of Fig. 1 showing the undermost article partially released from the pile and engaged by the conveying and delivering mechanism in its initial operating position. Fig. 5 is a vertical fragmentary section on the line w-w of Fig. 1 with the conveying and delivering mechanism in position for the discharge of the article. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the improved conveying and delivering mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views thereof, the main supporting frame comprises the two side bars 1 and 2 which are suitably secured with respect to each other by means of the crossbars 3 and 1 and are mounted upon suitable standards 5 which, in the present instance, consist of substantially inverted if shaped members having their extremities bent outwardly in opposite directions to provide the securing ears 6.

Depending from the side-bar 1 is the bearing plate 7 in which is journaled the forward ends of the drive shaft 8 and the counter-shaft 9, the inner ends of which shafts are also journaled in the bearingplates 10 and 11 respectively. The latter plates are dependingly secured to the sup porting bar 12 of the separating and delivery mechanisms which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The supporting bar 12 is secured upon the cross-bars 3 and 4: at a point medially thereof with respect to the side-bars 1 and 2 and is of a length to permit its ends to project beyond the outer edges of the cross-bars. Secured to the opposite side-faces of the supporting bar 12 are the vertically disposed plates 13 between the upper portions of which is pivoted the arm 14 upon which is secured the plate 15 adapted to receive the cushioning pad 16, the purpose of which pad will be hereinafter fully set forth. A link 17 is pivotally connected to the arm 14: at a point intermediate of the ends of the latter and to the link 18 and the forward end of the push-bar 19, the link 18 being also pivoted to the supporting bar 12, thus forming a toggle connection between the arm 14; and the supporting bar 12 whereby the cushioning pad 16 may be raised or lowered from andto its normally inclined position as the case may be.

Secured upon the inner end of the drive shaft 8 is the spur gear 20 which meshes with the larger spur gear 21 carried upon the inner end of the counter-shaft 9., The latter gear 21 is provided upon its inner face with the crank-arm 22 pivotally connecting at its outer end with one end of the pitman 23 Which is, at its oppositeend, c onneeted to the lower'end of the vertically disposedoscillating bar or lever 24 which is pivotally supported at a point removed from its upper end to the vertically disposed plates 25 secured in parallel relation upon the opposite faces of the supporting bar 12. A pitmanrod 26 is pivotally connected at its rear end reciprocating bar 27 is a reciprocating bar to'the upper end of the oscillating bar or lever 24 and at its forward end to the reciprocating bar 27 which is arranged in parallel relation with respect to the supporting bar 12. 7

Located medially between and in parallel relation to the supporting bar 12 and the I 28 which is supported upon the bearingblocks 29 and 30 which are arranged between the vertically disposed plates 31 and 32 and the bearing blocks 33 and 34 secured between the inner face of the bearing plate '10 and the oppositely arranged plate 32.

V g The bearing blocks'29 and 33 also serve to 7 support upon their upper faces the reciproeating bar 27.

Pivotally supported from the forward end of the reciprocating bar 28'is the arm 35 provided atits upper end with the flap-em 1 gaging blade 36 having its front edge formed to provide the upturned lip 37. Intermediate of the ends of the arm is prov'idedthe' abutment screw 38 against which 7 the reciprocating bar 27 is adapted to contact. Thepush-bar 19 which is pivotally connected to the links 17 and 18 of the toggle connection between the supporting bar j 12 and the arm 14 has its rear end bent at right angles to provide the abutment 39 which is adapted to slidably rest upon the member 40 provided with the upturned portion 41 whichis adapted to contact with the abutment 39 of the push-rod 19 whereby to operate the toggle links 17 and 18 in raising and lowering the arm 14.

Centrally pivoted to the reciprocating bar 28at a point intermediate its ends is the oscillating member 42 having itslower end yond in a manner to engage with the bearing-apertures 65 of the depending members 66' of the substantially inverted .U-shaped -member 67. Secured'to the lower ends of the depending members 66 and at right angles thereto are the hopper side-bars 68 which are of a length equal to that of the cross bars 70, the bars 69 normally resting upon the cross-bar 3 of the main supporting frame thereby supporting the hopper sidebars 68 in parallel relation with respect to the side-bars 1 and 2. Secured to the outer faces of the vertically disposed bars 69 is the hopper plate 71 which is of a width to permit its lower edge to aline with the lower edges of the side-bars 68. Slidably mounted upon the side-bars 68 are the guide blocks 72 connected with respect to each other by means of the cross-bars 73 to which is spacedly secured the standards 74 which support theinner hopper plate 75 corresponding in size to the face plate 71. The lower edges of the hopper plates 71 and 75 are bent inwardly toward each other to provide the article-supporting flanges 76.

Depending below the main supporting frame and in alinement with the supporting bar 12 is the substantially U-shaped yoke 77 having its vertical-members 78 bent outwardly in opposite directions to provide the arms 79 and 80, the latter of said arms being. slidably supported upon the drive shaft 8 and between the bearing plate 10 and the spur gear 20. A bar 81 is secured at its rear end to the arms 79 and projects forwardly therefrom to a point slightly beyond the forward end of the supporting bar 12 and is secured at this point to the lower member of the bar 82, the upper member of which bar 82 is projected backwardly between the plates 13 and slidably engages with the upper edge of the supporting bar 12. Secured upon the backwardly projecting member of the bar 82 is the cam block 83, the cam surface of which block 83 is adapted to engage with the lower cross-bar connecting the lower ends of the vertically disposed bars 69.

Secured upon the outer face of the large spur gear 21 is the cam member 84 having its cam surface arranged adjacent the periphery thereof and at a point substantially 120 degrees removed from the pivot pin 59 of the crank-arm 22 upon the opposite face of the gear 21. The U-shaped yoke 7 7 is positioned adjacent the spur gear 21 and parallel thereto and in a manner to permit its vertical members 78 to be alternately contactedwith the cam member whereby to impart thereto a forward or rearward movement as the case may require.

For the purpose of conveying and delivering the partially detached article from the bottom of the hopper, the bar 3, at the front end of the supporting frame, is provided with a pair of spaced brackets aa, which support a shaft 72 having one of its ends terminating with a sprocket gear 0. Arranged adjacent the opposite ends of the shaft 7) are the arms 0Zd, having their middle sections connected by a brace rod e. The arms dd are substantially Z shaped to permit proper angular relation with respect to the hopper and at their free or outer ends there is provided a shaft 7 having rolls 9 rigidly fixed thereon in spaced relation. These rolls 9 are preferably provided with friction treads h. Immediately adjacent the outer ends of the upper section of the arms dd is supported a second shaft 2', parallel to the shaft 7, having relatively small rolls 7a in engagement with the treads h of the rolls 9 carried by the shaft 7. At the outer end of the shaft 2' is a sprocket gear Z adapted to be driven by means of the chain m from the sprocket gear 11. carried on the shaft 6. A sprocket gear 0 is mounted upon the drive or crank shaft 8 and is connected to the sprocket gear 0 of the shaft b by the sprocket chain 9. Mounted on the counter shaft 9 is a disk 9 having a projecting pin 1" adapted to engage the yoke s which actuates the conveying and delivering mechanism by means of the rod u pivotally engaging the bearing '0 secured to the brace e of the arms. A stop t is provided at the rear end of the yoke s to limit the movement of the yoke and, of course, the movement imparted thereby to the said conveying and delivering mechanism.

The conveying and delivering mechanism may be actuated or oscillated by any other suitable means than has been hereinbefore described, as for instance, any ordinary type of cam and eccentric mounted either on the counter-shaft 9 in lieu of the disk 9 and the yoke s, or the same may be mounted on the drive shaft 8 should a more rapid delivery of the articles be desired.

The operation of the various mechanisms is as follows: After the inner hopper plate 75 has been adjusted by sliding the guide blocks 72 along the side bars 68 to a point desirable for the placing of the required size of articles upon the supporting flanges 76 of the hopper plates 71 and 75, the ar ticles being stacked upon the flanges 7 6 with their flaps downward and toward the forward part of the hopper, power is applied to the drive shaft 8 which drives the counter-shaft 9 through the intermeshing gears 20 and 21 and a forward motion is imparted to the reciprocating bar 27 through the pitman 23, the oscillating lever 24, andthe pitman 26. As the reciprocating bar 27 moves forward the abutment screw 48 engages with the cam surface d6 of the oscillating mem' ber 42 which imparts a similar forward motion to the reciprocating bar 28 which moves forward in advance of the reciprocating bar 27 and carries with it the arm 35 upon which is secured the flap-engaging blade 36, until the limit of its movement is reached and the upturned portion 41 of the member l0 has engaged with the abutment 39 of the pushrod 19 in a manner to operate the toggle links 17 and 18 thereby raising the cushioning pad 16 from its normally inclined position to a substantially horizontal position. At the same time the reciprocating bar 27 engages with the abutment screw 38 and forces the arm 35 from its normal backwardly inclined position into a vertical position and the blade 36 into engagement with the flap of the undermost article thereby exerting a downward pulling movement upon the cushioning pad 16, the flap being held tightly between the blade 36 and the cushioning pad 16 and by reason of the frictional engagement with the latter.

The cam member 84 now engages with the forward vertical member of the yoke 77 and forces it forward so that the cam block 83 engages with the lower cross-bar of the hopper and raises it up in a manner to cause the front edge of the article to disengage with the flange 76 of the hopper plate 71. Further movement of the driving mechanism causes the free edge of the article to be engaged between the rolls 9 and is of the delivery mechanism, and as the pin 1" of the disk 9 now engages the upper slot of the yoke s an outward movement is imparted to the arms 0Z-0Z which continues to the limit of such movement, and at the same time the rolls 9 and 7c are being continuously driven, by reason of the chain and sprocket drive from the main driving shaft, so that the article isfed in a manner to the discharge when the limit of the movement imparted permits the hopper to return to its normal position. The usual follower plate 85 is employed to properly retain the articles firmly upon the supporting flanges 76 of the hopper plates 71 and 75.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a positively operated separating blade for detaching one edge of an article from the bottom of a stack of such articles, means cooperating therewith for clamping the detached edge and holding the same, means for elevating the stack of articles to separate the clamped article therefrom, and an oscillating delivering mechanism carrying revolving gripping rollers movable into engagement with the clamped edge of the detached article for conveying the same to the point of delivery.

2. The combination with a positively operated separating blade for detaching one edge ofan article from the bottom of a stack of such articles, swinging means cooperating therewith for clamping and holding said edge, means for raising the stack of articles bodily above the clamped article to separate the latter from the stack, and an oscillating delivering mechanism carrying revolving gripping rollers movable toward said "stack when elevated to enable said rollers engaging the detached article and conveying the same on the return move- -'ment to the point of delivery.

' 8. The combination in a separating mechamsm, of a reciprocating bar, a swinging separating blade pivotedly mounted thereon clamping and holding'the detached edge of i said article, means for elevating the stack --of articles to fully remove the partly detached article fromsaid stack, a second reciprocating bar movable simultaneously with the first bar for holding the separating blade in clamping engagement with said plate, and a delivering apparatus carrying continuously rotating rollers movable into engagement with the detached article to grip the same and remove it from the mech- 4; In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with. a hopper for support ing astack of articles to be separated, of means for detaching one edge oi the undermostarticle of saidjstack, means for elevatin'gsa'id stack to'wholly separate the partly detached article therefrom, means for clamping the free edge of said article during the elevation of the stack, and an oscillating delivery for removing the separated article from the mechanism.

5. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper mounted for vertical movement, meansfor detaching one edge of the undermost article of a stack of articles held within said hopper, means cooperating with theidetac hing means to hold the partly separated'article and remove the same wholly from thehopper when the latter is elevated, and an oscillating delivery. movable toward said detached article for engaging the same and withdrawing; it from the mechanism. 7

6. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper for supporting a stack of articles to be separated and having limited vertical'movement, a sepa rating blade adapted to engage the undermost articleoli' said stack and withdraw one edge thereof from said hopper, a swinging plate cooperating with said blade for clamping said detached edge, means for elevating said hopper to withdraw the partly detached article therefrom, and a delivering apparatus movable to and from the hopper for conveying the separated article from the mechanism. I

7. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper for supporting a stack for articles to be separated and having limited vertical movement, a separating blade for engaging one edge of the undermost article of said stack and detaching said edge from the hopper, a swinging plate cooperating with said blade for clamping said detached edge, means for elevating the hopper to wholly withdraw the partly detached article therefrom, and an oscillating delivering apparatus carrying continuously rotating rollers for gripping the detached article when moved toward the same and withdrawing it fom the mechanism.

8. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper for supporting a stack of articles to be separated, and having limited vertical movement, a reciprocating bar provided with a swinging separating blade for engaging and withdrawing from said stack one edge of the undermost article thereof, a swinging plate movable by said reciprocating bar and 00- operating with said blade to clamp and hold the detached edge of said article, means for elevating said hopper to Wholly withdraw the partly detached article therefrom, and a delivery apparatus for removing the detached article from the mechanism.

9. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper for supporting a stack of articles to be separated, and pivotally mounted at its rear, a reciprocating bar carrying at one end a pivoted separating blade adapted to engage and re move from the hopper one edge of the undermost article of said stack, a swinging plate movable by said reciprocating bar and cooperating with said blade for clamping and holding the detached edge, a second bar movable simultaneously with the first described bar for pressing said blade into e11- gagement with the swinging plate, means for elevating the forward edge of the hopper to separatethe stack of articles from the partly detached article, and an oscillating delivering apparatus movable below said elevated hopper to grip the edge of the article first detached and withdrawing the article from the mechanism.

10. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination with a hopper for supporting a stack of articles to be separated, and pivotally supported at its rear, a reciprocating bar provided with a swinging separating blade movable below said hopper and adapted to engage one edge of the undermost article of said stack and separate the same therefrom, a swinging plate movable by said bar and cooperating With said blade for clamping and holding the detached edge of the article, a second reciprocating bar movable simultaneously With the first bar for holding said blade against the swinging plate, a rocking lever pivotedly mounted on the first bar. and operatively engaging the second bar, means positively connected to said second bar for operating the same and through the rocking lever reciprocating the first-named bar, means for elevating the hopper, and a delivering apparatus for removing the separated articles from the mechanism.

11. In an automatic separating mechanism, the combination With a hopper pivot ally supported for vertical movement, of means for raising the hopper to detach the front edge of the undermost article of a pile of such articles retained therein, a frame pivotally mounted adjacent said hopper, means for oscillating said frame to and from a point immediately under the forward edge of said hopper, and means for engaging the free edge of the article to deliver the same from the bottom of said hopper, said latter means being continuously actuated during the operation of said frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

FOSTER M. srnnn.

Witnesses:

MINNIE B. LEWIs, PAULINE F. HUTCHINSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

